Wall and partition assembly



1943- A; F. MARSHALL- v WALL AND PARTITION ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 29, 1941IN VENTOR.

Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE WALL AND PARTITIONASSEMBLY Allen F. Marshall, Dallas, Tex.

Application August 29, 1941, Serial No. 408,725

4 Claims.

This invention relates to Wall and partition construction for buildingsand it has particular reference to an improved fire-proof partitionconstituted of pre-formed slabs of gypsum or other fire-proofcomposition.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a wall or partitionassembly wherein wall slabs of any suitable material are so joined together to form a Wall or partition that they may be disassembled withoutthe dust, noise and confusion usually attending the removal ofpartitions comprised of plaster lath and wooden or steel studs.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of wallor partition assembly which can be installed without screws, bolts,nails or ties of any character, yet is of such sturdy construction as tomeet the most rigid requirements.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a partitionconstruction whose installation requires but a minimum of materials andlabor and may be erected by unskilled persons without special tools andequipment.

Broadly, the invention provides, in addition to preformed masonry units,longitudinally adjustable upright supports supplanting conventionalstuds whose upper and lowerends are shaped to conform with recesses madein the ceiling and floor respectively and by which the uprights areretained so that they may receive and hold the said masonr g unitsbetween them and which latter in turn receive the plaster coat, fillingand concealing the joints therebetween.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has furtherreference to certain features of accomplishment, to become manifest asthe description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a wall partly finished and partlyunfinished, illustrating the manner in which the partition of theinvention is set up.

Figure 2 is a transverse cross-sectional plan view of a section of thepartition wherein two horizontally aligned units are shown.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the partition base and anchorage invertical section taken on line 33 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view of one of the uprights showing theadjustable ceiling anchor.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view of the lower end of one of theuprights showing the relationship therewith of a fragment of baseboard.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a modified form ofupright support and Figure '7 is yet another form of upright sup port.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference isprimarily made to Figure 1 wherein is shown the ceiling lil and floor llof a building. The partition of the invention is made up of masonryunits [2 of gypsum or similar material and which are of predetermineddimensions and pre-conforming. Each unit has a longitudinal, half-roundrecess 13 along both sides and when these recessed sides are incontiguous relationship the recesses form cylindrical passages toreceive the uprights 14, to which specific reference will be later made.Also, the corners of the units next adjacent to the recesses !3 arebeveled at a, thus to forma substantially V-shaped groove on either sideand in alignment with each upright I4 at the joints between the units I2and which groove is filled with plaster or binder to reinforce theassembly at the joints.

The studs or upright supports l4 are comprised simply of lengths ofhollow pipe, threaded at either end and whose length is slightly lessthan th measurement between the ceiling and floor. On the lower end ofthe pipe there is mounted a flange l5 which may or may not beadjustable, that is to say, it may be permanently fixed on the pipe l4.Centrally disposed on the bottom of the flange I5 is a protuberance [6(Fig. 3) and which protuberance is receivable in a recess or depressionI! in the floor H.

The upper end of the pipe or rod I l carries a flange l8 which isanalogous to the lower flange 15 except that its collar I9 is sothreaded onto the pipe 14 as to be movable to increase or diminish theoverall length of the upright to adjust the same to variations inmeasurement between the floor and ceiling resulting from irregularitiesin the floor or ceiling. The flange is likewise has a protuberance 2|]in its center which, when the upright or stud i4 is in proper wallalignment with others of the assembly, is received in a recess 2| in theceiling ID. The flange I8 is provided with one or more radial openings22 (Fig. 4) to accommodate a suitable tool by which the flange may berotated to raise or lower it on the upright l4, thereby to adjust thelength of the latter. Once the uprights are in position, with eachflange l5 and I8 firmly secured against displacement by reason of theprotuberbances l6 and 21 reposing in their respective recesses in thefloor and ceiling, they will be capable of resisting considerablelateral stress, more especially when termediate which the partition isto be erected,

both along the floor and ceiling. Recesses I! are made in the floor witha tool such as an electric drill and corresponding recesses 2| areprovided in the ceiling. These recesses should be in strict:

vertical alignment to preclude the possibility of accumulative error andto insure close fititng of the joints of masonry units. One of theupright supports l 4 is then mounted at the starting point of thepartition so that the protuberance of each flange thereof will bereceived in their respective recesses in the floor and ceiling. Theadjustable flange is then moved up to firmly secure the upright inposition.

The first baseboard unit 23, which are preferably comprised of wood, isarranged so that the grooves l3 of one end receives the first upright. Amasonry unit [2 is then set upon the baseboard and in true verticalalignment therewith, after which a second masonry unit I2 issuperimposed uponthe first. It is preferred that the dimensions of theunits be such that two of suchunits, combinedwith the baseboard, willbeequal to the height of the ceiling. However, it is obvious that thesedimensions may be varied without changing the method of installation.

After the first units have been assembled as explained, thenextsucceeding upright is moved into position and set up in the same manneras the first, to be received by the grooves l3 in the opposite edges ofthe units. This procedure continues until the last two wall sections areto be erected and at this point, an upright is set up at the finishingpoint of the partition with the next adjacent upright free. Two sectionsof 1 wall units are then assembled with their inner edges contiguous andembracing the freeupright and with their outer edges properlyv engagingthe fixed uprights. The free upright is then-movedinwardly until the twosections of wall units are aligned with the companion units and theprotuberances l6 and 2i of the upright received in their respectiverecesses. This manner of ,completing the basic wall assembly isillustrated in Figure 1.

After completing the assembling of the wall units asdescribed, thefinishing coat of plaster or other materialis applied to the surfaces ofthe partition to fill all joints, openings and interstices.

A modified form of upright ,is shown in Figure 6 and is.comprised of asection of rod or pipe 26, on the lower end of which is threadedorotherwise secureda bull plug 2l-while the upper end carries a sleeve 28,shouldered to retain a detent'29. .A. strong spring underlies this-detent,:.thrusting it axially outwardwhereby it will enter and beretained by the spring in one of the recesses of the ceiling while theopposite protuberance3l, .carriedby the bull plug 21 will be'retained:in'the lower and complementary recess of the floor.

.Thusitis apparent that-no nails, .bolts or the like:are:r.equiredtosupport the partition of the invention anwshould it be,found-necessarystoremove the partition, the joints between the unitsmay be readily located by measurement or other means and the partitionmay be scored along the joints from top to bottom by means of a powerdriven saw, after which the sections can be removed singly and withoutdamage to them or to the uprights which is highly desirable from thestandpoint of economy. Obviously, in so dismantling the wall, acomparatively small amount of dust and debris is created to disturb thetenants of a building and the work can be done with a minimum of noiseand like disturbances.

Yet another form of upright is shown in Figure '7. This upright consistsof a pair of substantially V-shaped members 32 having integral,

longitudinal flanges 33 and arranged in confronting relationship withthe flanges 33 flush and spot-welded or otherwise secured together. Sucha construction is resorted to in cases where greater rigidity than maybe afforded by rods or pipes, is required. The uprightsor'studs soconstructed are, as in the preceding case, slightly less in length thantheheight of .the ceiling from the floor and tocompensate for thedifference, substantially square plugs 34in transverse cross-section areprovided and which conform to the square opening through the,uD-

right formed by the flanged V-shapedmembers 32. These plugs or endmembers areinserted into the ends of -the upright as shown in Figure 7and being provided with heads 35 the depth to which they extend into theopenings is limited. Threaded into the plu s 34 are p ns 3 havingsubstantially pointed ends adapted to be received in conforming recessesin the ceiling and floor of a building asin-the earlier describedembodiment of the-invention. Asuitable wrench such as a self grippingpipe wrench isemployed to effect extension of the pins into theirrespective recesses, thereby placing the upright under slightcompression. as an aid in maintaining rigidvertical position of-theuprights. As in the preceding case, further reinforcing of the uprightsis insured after erection of thewall units I 2 to form the body ofthewall and which, incidentally, are provided along their vertical andcontiguous edges with V-shaped rather than semi-circular slots, toconform'to theanalogously shaped members 32. The interstices or slotsformedat the jointsbetween the Wall units, caused by the flanges 33,-Which are further instrumental in lending to the-strengthof theuprights, are, of course, filled with plaster orother finishingmaterial.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of somemodification and'such modification as may be construed to fall withinthe scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered: to beWithin the spirit and intent of the invention. 7

What is claimed is:

1. A wall andpartition constructionfor buildings comprising relativelyspaced, supporting-uprights, each having an end memberonbothendsthereof, a protuberanceintegral with eachof said end members, disposedin recesses-in the floor and ceiling of saidbuilding, :said end mem bersbeing rotatable ,to-effect extension of' said uprights to compressedlyretain said uprights in perpendicular relation to their pointsofsecurement, and masonry units whose edges conformably receive saiduprights, thereby to be retained in ed e to edge and superimposedrelationship to form the bodyof-said wall.

2. In a-wall i assembly for build iesa series of rods having flangedmembers on the ends thereof, said members being provided withprotuberances disposed in vertically aligned recesses in the floor andceiling of said building, means for axially moving said flanged membersrelative to the ends of said rods to effect extension thereof to holdsaid rods compressedly in vertical position between said floor andceiling, a plurality of preformed wall units having longitudinallygrooved and chamfered edges conforming to and retained by said rods anda plaster coat on either side of said wall units.

3. In a wall construction for buildings, a plurality of uprights, endmembers mounted on the ends of each of said uprights, a protuberancecarried in turn by each of said end members and axially aligned withsaid uprights, said end members being rotatable to eifect axialextension of said uprights to hold said protuberances under pressure invertically aligned recesses in the floor and ceiling of said buildingand wall units whose edges are longitudinally grooved to conform to saiduprights, and interposed between and retained thereby to form the bodyof said wall.

4. In a wall construction for buildings, a plurality of horizontallyspaced, vertical uprights, each comprising a pair of elongated,substantially V-shaped members having flanges secured in flushrelationship to define a substantially square body in transversecross-section, interiorly threaded plugs conformably retained in theends of said uprights, pins threaded into said plugs for longitudinallyextending said uprights and mounted in recesses in the floor and ceilingof said building for holding said uprights under compression between thefloor and ceiling of said building, wall units interposed between saiduprights and in superimposed relationship to form the body of said walland having means on their contiguous vertical edges embracing saiduprights to hold said wall units against displacement.

ALLEN F. MARSHALL.

